This week was the launch of Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force Regional Trainings. Sixty-seven were in attendance at the first trainings held in Hastings, Nebraska at Central Community College. Two days of training were provided for local, state and federal law enforcement, child protection and safety specialists, human trafficking victim/survivor service providers, adult and juvenile community correction officers, advocates and health care providers.

NHTTF seeks to establish a statewide, systematic response to human trafficking in all of its forms. The recent training complements the current process of building a NHTTF State Response Team as well as Regional Response Teams in the six regions across Nebraska. Response Teams are multidisciplinary teams working together, often times through existing structures and programs.

“It is our intent to provide training so Nebraska may have well trained, statewide, 24/7/365 human trafficking enforcement and services.” said Stephen Patrick O’Meara, AGO NHTTF Coordinator.

The trainings titled, NHTTF—An Enhanced Collaborative Community Caretaking Response to Human Trafficking, provide a full agenda covering a range of significant topics, including: identifying human trafficking, investigating sex trafficking, immigration, advocacy and forensic nursing.

Five additional regional trainings are on the calendar to be completed across Nebraska before the end of 2016.